


Hospital Flowers

by LotusGirl



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Hospital, Nurse - Freeform, Ship, Volunteer Nurse, crying?, sick person, weak
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-29
Updated: 2018-02-25
Packaged: 2019-02-23 14:57:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,428
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13192515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LotusGirl/pseuds/LotusGirl
Summary: Marinette is a volunteer nurse at Saint Thomas's Hospitalized Home, a place for long-term sick or injured people to stay to both receive care, and live in a comforting home. Nathaniel has been a patient of Saint Thomas's his whole life, never being able to go outside or converse with others.A story of friends to lovers between nurse and patient.





	1. Meeting Someone Special

**Author's Note:**

  * For [findmeinthevoid](https://archiveofourown.org/users/findmeinthevoid/gifts).



It was a beautiful day.

The sun shined brightly and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. This was the kind of day that would make even the most introverted hermits come outside and enjoy the weather. Those who couldn't be outside were happy with seeing the gorgeous weather from inside. People such as this could be found in quite a few places, and one of those places was Saint Thomas's Hospitalized Home.

"Is the view from here okay?" Marinette asked one patients. She was pushing their wheelchair to the window in the living hall so they, too, could see the beautiful outside world.

"Oh yes, it's lovely. Thank you, Marinette," the lady told her.

"No problem, m'am!"

It was best she got going, as one of the other nurses wanted her to take new book donations to the library. Marinette trotted down the corridor, greeting the few patients she passed with a smile. But when she got to the front desk, where she was asked to be, along side of the books was Miss Madeleine, one of the nurses. She had a smile on her face, and looked moderately excited to see her. "Oh, madame! I wasn't expecting you," Marinette told her. "I just wanted to confirm something is all. You've been working here for how long, again?"

"About seven years. m'am."

"Then I think you've worked here long enough to know something special, dear girl."

"Something special?"

"Some _one_ special!"

Madeleine took her hand and lead her down a hallway she'd never gone down, not even taking heed to the bluenette's question," What about the books?!" It was hidden rather well from everyone else, but it was close to the children's wing. Most of the rooms looked vacant and unkempt, except for the one near the end. It was the only door that was closed and had a name under the room number. They stopped just in front of the door and Madeleine spoke softly. "Behind this door is a very special boy, and he's your age. Only workers who have worked here for a long time get to meet him, and today, you get to!"

The addition of _boy_ and _your age_ made her chuckle.

Adults liked to pair up children who were the same age, thinking it was cute if they started dating, but at Saint Thomas's, chances were low for several reasons.

For one, there were very few boys her age. Second, the boys who were her age, they weren't very attractive at all, not that she was trying to be mean. Third, they were so mentally and physically ill it was impossible to try and have a meaningful conversation without them yelling at her.

"We gave him medicine so he wouldn't get too scared when he first met you," Madeleine said before she opened the door. Marinette nodded and stepped inside with her.

But when she did, she was shocked beyond belief.

Laying there in the bed was, yes, a boy, but not at all what she had expected.

He had long vibrant red hair and deep blue eyes that were dazed from the medication. Marinette had a thousand thoughts running through her mind but the biggest one was: _He's crazy hot!_ Pretty, gorgeous, beautiful, sexy, lovely, extremely attractive. Well, he was a little small for a six foot hunk. Actually, he was very small, but very pretty. His hair covered up part of his face, hiding his beauty from the world. For a moment, Marinette felt nervous talking to someone like him. Then, she remembered he was drugged and loony and probably wouldn't remember if she made a fool of herself.

She stepped a little closer with Madeleine, who leaned near, telling him," Nathaniel, this is Marinette, the nurse we were telling you about. Say hi, Nath!"

Nathaniel. His name was Nathaniel. That's a nice name.

He had a small smile with flushed cheeks, his voice gracing her ears," Hello, Marinette. It's nice to meet you."

 

☆*:.｡.o(≧▽≦)o.｡.:*☆

  
Nathaniel was not prepared for this.

He was on his bed, drawing in a sketchbook, when Nurse Madeleine came in, smiling.

She didn't say anything when she came in like the nurses usually do, so he was a little startled by her silence. "Um, good morning, miss. Do you have something to tell me," he asked. Madeleine came over and patted his head, saying," Actually, yes I do. But first, you have to answer a question."

"O-Okay. . ."

"Remind me, how old are you again?"

"Seventeen. . ."

"Perfect!" She proclaimed.

"Pardon my asking, but why is that perfect, m'am," Nathaniel asked. Madeleine brushed the bangs out of his eyes so she could see the turquoise colors. "There's a volunteer nurse who has been working here for a long time, and she's your age! I think you should meet her," she informed the redhead. Instantly, he felt a pang of anxiety. _Meeting someone?_ Did she lose her mind? The whole reason he stayed in his room constantly and new staff members were withheld from meeting him was because of how terrified he was of others. She must have seen the color drain from his face, because of what she did next.

Madeleine hugged him, saying," Aww, don't worry, little tomato. She's a very nice girl, and I think you would really like her!" _Little Tomato._ The nickname his parents had given him had rubbed off on some of the nurses, and now they call him that. It was only a little irritating, as he had known them for so long they were like family. She released him from her arms, adding," Of course, we'll have to give you the medicine to keep you from getting too freaked out."

"I know."

The nurse pulled out a syringe and before he had time to scream about the needle, she injected the tip into the vein in his fossa. Madeleine put a band-aid over the little hole where the needle broke the skin. She placed her hand on his shoulder, saying," I'll be back with her soon." Madeleine left, and very quick after, his head felt light and almost numb. He hated it. He just barely knew what was happening, or what came out of his mouth. Although, it's a difficult decision between being terrified and being crazy.

Sleepiness and fatigue caused his eyelids to droop.

Nathaniel's body fell back against the wall, crimson locks falling over his face and on his shoulders. He must have fallen asleep for some time, dreaming of morning skies and starry clouds. Dreams were an enigma. On one hand, they could be something wonderful. Within those dreams grew love, passion, and beauty. Flowers made from the night sky, cats hiding in the inter depths of your mind, whispering greetings to you. On the other, they could be something of horror. Monsters coming up from the unexpected, eyeballs who watch you in a land of darkness, bats with wings of burnt skin and blades for claws and scream at you.

Today, they were happy dreams.

Must have been the drugs.

He jolted awake, but his eyes could barely open, when he heard a soft knocking at the door.

Madeleine came in with someone, and even with this fuzzy head, his heart stopped when he saw her. He could recognize the girl, and she was so beautiful. Her dark hair was in pigtails and her eyes were a sparkly blue. The nurse's uniform she wore looked different than the others', so it was likely it was custom. Nathaniel had seen this particular nurse a few times previous to this day, and he could especially remember the first time he saw her. He had left his room for a moment to paint using the view from another window, when he saw the girl with some of the children. Nathaniel hid behind a wall, feeling scared and not wanting to be seen.

Never before had he seen someone like her.

She was beautiful, gentle, and kind.

Looking at this girl made his legs feel weak.

That was when he got his first crush.

He savored the moments he got to see her and spent long periods of time thinking about what happened over and over again. All those other times, he kept a distance between where he was and she. Right now, that nurse was standing two feet away with a smile on her face. Madeleine came to his side, saying," Nathaniel, this is Marinette, the nurse we were telling you about. Say hi, Nath!" Her name is Marinette. Nathaniel felt like he was going to faint. Got to keep it cool. Girls don't like boys who trip over their words. He tried to speak, although he himself couldn't really hear it clearly," Hello, Marinette. It's nice to meet you."


	2. A Little Background

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little more information.

Marinette absent-mindedly sorted the books on the shelf, her head buzzing with questions.

"Mari, darling, you're going to--" Too late. She dropped several of the books on the floor, a few of the thick ones landed on Madeleine's foot. "Oops! Sorry, miss," the girl apologized, picking them back up. "It's fine. After all, we all know how clumsy you are. But please pay attention to what you're doing." True, she did tend be quite the klutz in her everyday life, but today was even more so, because she was so distracted by _Nathaniel_. It was so satisfying just to listen to his name in her head.

"Um, Madeleine?"

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course. What is it?"

Marinette usually didn't ask questions about the residents of Saint Thomas's, but Nathaniel was mystery. With most of them, the symptoms of their injury or illness were rather obvious and she didn't need to know more. She couldn't see anything wrong with Nathaniel, though. True, he was drugged before meeting her and that must have had an affect on how he behaved, but she'd met kids at school who took medication for anxiety, too, and they were fine. She'd even befriended a few. "Miss, could you tell me. . . Why Nathaniel is a patient here? I mean, he seems fine, even if he was on medicine. I just would like to know, is all. . .," Marinette asked.

The nurse placed a few more of the books on the shelf before speaking.

"Nathaniel has been here since the day he was born."

There was silence for a few moments.

"But, why?"

Madeleine took the girl's hand, leading her to the chairs near a table. This was a sit-down talk, one you couldn't have while standing up. Usually because the news or information was too much to take, and you had to sit down to process it. "Before Nathaniel came, his parents were visiting a sick relative and his mother went into labor. So, they gave birth to him here at Saint Thomas's."

"Probably a good thing this is also a hospital, right?"

Madeleine just looked at her, and Marinette felt it was appropriate to stay quiet.

"But, when he was born, he was very sick and very weak. We-We thought it would be temporary and that he would get better in a few months. However, years passed and he didn't. His sickness, it-it changes. Sometimes it's his legs, sometimes it's his lungs, sometimes it's his whole body. On those days, he can't move at all. Some days he can't breathe. He can't fight against other diseases and bacteria very well. Not to mention how bad the anxiety gets. . ." _Poor Nathaniel,_ she thought. He had to deal with this for his whole life, never getting to go outside or make friends.

The nurse giggled, raising another question in Marinette's mind.

She wiped the tiny droplets from her eyes, saying," It's funny, though. When he got to meet the other nurses at the right time, he wouldn't even look at them, let alone say hello. But he greeted you without stuttering or squeaking, looked you right in the eye."

Well, almost in the eye.

He was all sleepy at the time, and she imagined it was difficult to make eye contact with someone when you were on the verge of falling asleep.

Marinette sat up, raising her hand a bit to ask another question. "Do you think Nathaniel would like it if I, say, talked to him from time to time," she asked. Madeleine grabbed another book off the floor and shelved it, responding with," I think he would love that. As long as you don't scare him too much." "I won't, promise." Anything to make someone's day a little brighter. Especially if that someone is Nathaniel.

☆*:.｡.o(≧▽≦)o.｡.:*☆

Just as she was at the hospital, Marinette was very distracted the rest of the day, while she wasn't working. She was eager to know more about Nathaniel, and maybe become his friend. Most people like to have at least one friend, and from the looks of it, he didn't really have any. But perhaps she should take Madeleine's words to heart, and pay more attention, as her distracted behavior was beginning to affect her life outside of work.

This was especially obvious to her friend, Alya, when she invited her over, and she was failing at the video game they were playing.

"Geez, girl, that's 5 loses in a row! Are you feeling okay?"

The bluenette just lightly bounced on her friend's sofa. "Um, yeah! I'm great, never better! Marinette is A-OK!" She tried to look normal, but her smile probably gave it away. It was too. . .smiley. Too excited. Alya gave her a suspicious smile and asked," Spill it. Who or what has made you so distracted today?" Marinette had a choice. To not tell her about amazing and pretty Nathaniel, or to tell her about a boy she met in a hospital and barely knew. If she told Alya, it would look like she had a crush on him (which she didn't), even though they just met. If she didn't, Alya would remain suspicious. Maybe she could tell him she only _met_ someone, not divulging anything else about him?

"I saw something pretty earlier."

Or that. That works too. Technically not a lie, because Nathaniel is pretty and she saw him earlier.

She raised an eyebrow, repeating what she said," Something pretty?" Marinette felt just a tad sheepish. "It. . .It was red and pretty. It made me feel happy." Alya knows her favorite color is actually pink, but pink is really just a lighter shade of red, so by relation, she likes red too. Red is a good color. "So what was it?" "What was what?" "The thing that made you happy. What was it?"

Alya was getting up close and personal with these questions.

"W-Well, does it really matter _what_ it was, since you already know why it made me happy!"

"Yes, Marinette. Yes it does."

"It was, um. . ."

Alya was getting more suspicious. She was leaning in close, and that means very close. Marinette felt a droplet of sweat on her forehead. For a moment, it was very serious and very quiet. Suddenly, her friend laughed and patted her back, saying," I'm just kidding, girl! You don't have to tell me what specifically made you _so happy_ , no matter how curious I am about it." She breathed a sigh of relief. Marinette wasn't ready to let other people know about Nathaniel.

Not yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A fic idea I've had forever but never actually got around to writing it. I have so many chapter ideas for this.
> 
> This is another fic named after a song, it's by Owl City, but there's no Nathanette video for it.


	3. A Common Interest and A Promise.

  
Marinette anxiously gripped her sketchpad.

There was a rush of fear, but also excitement, going through her veins.

Her intent was attempt to bond with Nathaniel, using the knowledge she had learned from Madeleine when she had gotten home.

_"Madame, can I ask you another question?"_

_"Of course, Marinette! What is it?"_

_Marinette fiddled with locks of her hair, feeling a little ditsy and maybe bubbly? What was that feeling one got while thinking about someone they liked? Dreamy? It was a little confusing. "Well, I was wondering if you could tell me what some of Nathaniel's interests or if he has any hobbies?" She asked. There was a moment of silence, with some awkward shuffling and pacing around her bedroom. Madeleine responded," For one, he absolutely adores art. He loves to admire it and draw. Come to think of it, don't you--" "Yup-thanks-gottago-bye!"_

_She hung up quickly._

_The excitement had overcome her._

_Now, she was giddy with joy._

_Now, she knew how to strike up a bond with Nathaniel._

Marinette stepped through the Saint Thomas doors. She looked for the redhead, and there he was! He was seated in front of a window, not far from the entrance, painting on a canvas board. Taking a closer look, she sees he's painting the potted flowers outside. The painting was almost, if not more, as pretty as the ones outside. Each petal and leaf was vibrant with colors, the strokes match the shadows and highlights created by the sun. It wasn't cartoon-y, with thick, noticable outlines but rather more realistic, without that dark line art. Such beauty, such refinement! She wanted to run over there, jump, and glomp him and talk about their shared enjoyment of the arts. But Marinette had to remember that he scared easily, and she needed to make a soft approach.

The dark-haired nurse stepped lightly and quietly.

He was in a deep trance, and all of his attention and concentration were on the painting. A very attractive feature for a man.

She kept her voice low, but above a whisper, when she breathed," Hello, Nathaniel--"

" _Gah!_ "

Nathaniel flinched anyway. Really badly, at that. His paints nearly splattered on the wall. He looked panicked for a moment before he saw who was next to him. "Oh! U-Um, hello Marinette. I-I'm sorry. . . you. . . saw that," he stuttered, still a little bit shocked. "No, don't be! I'm sorry I scared you," she apologized. Now, she could have been imagining it, or maybe some paint got on his face, but was Nathaniel. . . Blushing? The most faint tint of red to contradict his pale skin. Nathaniel asked," S-So what are you doing here. . . Well, not here like Saint Thomas's but _here_ next to me. N-Not that I mind or anything!" Aww, he was so cute when he was nervous like that. Marinette took a seat next to him, saying," A little bird told me that you really like art."

"Oh, did they?" He seemed a tad weird-ed out when she said _bird_. But this was good. They were socializing. Talking. Communicating. "Yes they did! I think it's really interesting that you enjoy art because I happen to draw a little too. Look, I brought my sketchpad." Nathaniel directed his attention towards the pink and patterned book. She let him take it to flip through her drawings. The way his fingertips delicately gripped the page was so satisfying to watch. "I know I'm not as good as you are but--" "No, no, you're a wonderful artist! Your drawings are really cute-- I didn't mean cute-- I mean they're not _not_ cute," he stammered and placed his face in his face and muttered under his breath," I'm such a mess."

Marinette giggled.

He shook his head and asked," S-So you like drawing. . . clothes?"

"Yeah. I really want to be a fashion designer but for right now, I'm just a volunteer nurse. Actually, this uniform is one of my designs."

Nathaniel looked down a tad with a thoughtful smile. What was he thinking about?

Marinette gestured towards the canvas. "So what's your reason for painting the flowers? Do you like drawing plants?"

He lightly dabbed his brush into the paint as he answered. "I like drawing a bunch of different subjects. People, animals, flowers-- just about everything. But I paint the flowers because I've. . . I've never really been outside before." Those potted flowers seen from the windows was the only thing he's seen from the outside world. Perhaps an occasional bird on a window sill or a stray cat passing by as well. Poor boy. From the way he was painting them, someone could think he was pretending to be outside. Marinette leaned in closer and asked," Have you seen photos of places outside of Saint Thomas?"

"Afraid not."

It took everything in her power to not scream.

Paris was a beautiful city and he didn't even know what it looked like.

"Nathaniel, how would you feel if I took some pictures of Paris for you to see?" His eyes lit up. He almost looked like he didn't believe her. Nathaniel inquired," W-Would you really do that? Would you really show me what the city looks like?" Marinette couldn't help but smile.

"Yes. I would."

"Do you promise?"

"I promise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally found time to write for once in my life.


End file.
